"We've produced a great sound": dBS Solutions specifies Martin Audio system for Legally Blonde musical tour

Event production company dBS Solutions is using a Martin Audio XD15 unit on the current UK tour of Legally Blonde The Musical.

The company originally bought an XD12/13 system to tour the long-running West End success Avenue Q in 2014, and versions of the system have also been supplied by dBS for a Spamalot tour.

Producer UK Productions contacted dBS Solutions based on the audio company’s past success with their flagship Christmas pantomime in Sunderland.

The chosen XD15 system has a reduced weight, which enables several pairs to be mounted easily up the vertical proscenium truss, and its rotatable horns offer flexibility.

Sound designer Chris Bogg said: “The show’s American girl-heavy production numbers have a tendency to sound ‘squeaky’, so the main aim was to make the sound less shrill and much warmer,” Bogg said. Careful choice of microphones and deployment of the XD15 and WS218X subs were key. We have achieved exactly what we set out to, and produced a great sound for the show.”

The cast are on 28 radio mics, with seven musicians in the orchestra pit on personal monitors.

Extending the low frequencies are a pair of Martin Audio WS218X subwoofers, one either side of the stage for stalls coverage.

“In the upper tiers, the 15” drivers in the XD15 will go sufficiently low that we find we don't need further dedicated subs,” continued Bogg. They will handle all the frequencies we need and consequently this has massive time implications when setting up, allowing us to concentrate on the rest of the system.”

He concluded: “We have been getting great results from the Martin Audio system. It’s sounding exactly as it should and everyone is delighted with it.”